


A Different Place, A Different Time.

by lavenderhoneymndes



Category: Shawn Mendes (Musician)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:55:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23501947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderhoneymndes/pseuds/lavenderhoneymndes
Summary: Shawn wonders what it would be like if you'd never left, and stayed with him in your little small town.
Relationships: Shawn Mendes/You
Kudos: 7





	A Different Place, A Different Time.

You had known Shawn since you were kids. And every since you can remember you’d had one another. You made a vow after a very dramatic and traumatic prom night, that you’d always have each other. That no matter what you could always rely on one another. 

That only lasted for a short while after that. To no one’s fault of your own, it’s just what happens when you graduate. When you grow up. You had gotten so busy with your new life in a new city with new friends that you didn’t make time to text or call as you should. Sure you kept in touch, called him on birthdays and when big things happened, you’d comment on how proud you were of him on whenever he posted about a new gig he booked at whatever bar in town. But it wasn’t the same.

Shawn would be lying if he said it didn’t hurt. You’d been by his side since you two were six years old. You played together, cried together, made music together. Although you weren’t very good at writing or singing, he insisted that you come over and sing with him. So after college when you decided to move back home, the first person that you called was Shawn. You weren’t too happy about moving back in with your parents, but the city you were in for school was too expensive to live alone and you figured it would be better to come home, save your money and get a new place once you’d saved up enough. It wasn’t ideal but it was a plan at least. And for consolation, you got your best friend back. 

Shawn was over the moon when you’d told him and even showed up at the airport with your parents to pick you up. It was like all that time apart from one another never happened. You were right back in the swing of things. Right into your old traditions, the conversation was never stale and you finally had your best friend back. You forgot what it felt like to be with someone and not feel judged, to be able to fully be yourself. You loved your friends from college and wouldn’t trade them for the world. You made memories that would last a lifetime. But nothing ever beats spending time with Shawn looking out at the city lights at the top of the hill of your little town. 

“Can I ask you a question?” He asks, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between the two of you. 

“Sure.”

“Why’d you leave?” 

It was a question he’d asked himself many times in the few days after you’d moved cross country. When things were really bad and he felt extra lonely, he’d ask himself, and selfishly he’d wish you’d just come back home. Wished for things to be as they were. At the same time, he was so proud of you. You were doing something that you’d always dreamed of doing, you were getting a job in your dream career and he couldn’t have been happier for you. 

“Well, I had to go to college Shawn. Not all of us can sing like an angel and get paid for it.” You joke, nudging him with your shoulder. 

“No, I mean. You could have stayed here and gone to a school like what, an hour away. Why’d you leave.” 

“I don’t know. I just….wanted bigger things I guess.” you tear your eyes away from the city and take a look at your best friend. In hindsight, those ‘bigger things’ weren’t worth what you had given up. You were terribly homesick most of the time you were gone, and in the first few months you were convinced you’d made a major mistake, but you were happy. Well, content. Eventually. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes I can’t help but wonder how life would be different.”

“Different how.”

“If I didn’t’ do music if you’d have stayed here. What life would be like.” He says nibbling at his bottom lip. A nervous tick he’s had ever since you could remember. 

“Probably pretty boring.” you laugh trying to lighten the mood, but it wasn’t working. 

“I don’t think so.” 

“No?” 

Shawn shakes his head and a sad small smile comes along, “I think I’d be happier. We wouldn’t have drifted apart.” he looks up at you, staring right into your soul and there’s something in his eyes that lets you know how sincere he was. That he meant every word.“I’ve missed you.” 

“Well I’m back now,” you say giving him a sad smile. 

“Yeah, I know,” he says leaning running a hand through his hair looking out over the city. He takes a moment and he mumbles something under his breath you don’t quite catch before he’s turning to you again. 

“You know when you told me you were leaving, I went home and cried. Spent two days listening to that  _ ‘Sad Boy Hours’  _ playlist you made me.” He says letting out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “Listen, I’m going to tell you something and, I need you to promise me that you won’t freak out, or be weird after because that’s the last thing I want. You mean so much to me and I don’t want to lose you again.” 

You already know where it was all going. You knew what he was going to say because the truth is you felt the same. You hadn’t realized it until you’d moved back home. You couldn’t figure out why you’d felt like something was missing in the years that you were away. Why you couldn’t fully settle. 

“Shawn I -” 

“Just let me say this - please.” you nod your head encouraging him to go on, and your heart began beating out of your chest, “I’ve known you pretty much my whole life, and you mean so much to me. We’ve been through so much together, and when you left, I felt like...I don’t know like I wouldn’t see you again. Like things would never be the same again. And I know this sounds stupid and dramatic, but when you left it felt like I was losing a part of myself. I mean up until then we’d spent nearly every day together since we were kids. We were so close and then you just left, it just....” the words came rushing out, and he wanted to stop them as soon as he started because all you’ve done was look at him hardly blinking. 

What he didn’t know was that you were just trying to process everything. That you were trying to wrap your head around the fact that he felt the same way. That he missed you just as much, because somehow over the years you’d convinced yourself that he was fine. That he didn’t miss you. He was a musician for crying out loud. His days were spent writing music and performing at dive bars at night. He didn’t even have time to think about you. But apparently you were wrong. You were very wrong and your heart wanted to explode. 

His shaky hands reached out for yours, interlocking your fingers together. A gesture that on its face meant nothing, you’d held hands many a time before, but now something so small seemed so intimate. “And we had to grow up, and it was inevitable that things were going to change, I get that. But...I never expected it to hurt as much as it did. Not talking to you every day, or not having our movie nights.” 

“Shawn -” 

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I love you. And I’ve loved you for a very long time, and it wasn’t until you left when I didn’t have you that I finally realized it. And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same, but the only thing I ask is that you let me be there for you because you mean the world to me. I’ll be anything you need. If it’s just a friend, I’m okay with that. But I couldn’t keep it a secret anymore, I just...I had to tell you.” 

He lets out a deep breath, the weight of it all finally off of his shoulders and looks down at his hands. He doesn’t regret it like he thought he would. The short silence that followed his confession made him a little anxious 

“Can I talk now?” you ask, making him look up at you, and your sporting his favorite smirk making him smile back at you. 

“Yeah, sorry.” He says through a chuckle. He moves to remove his grip on your hands but you pull them back lacing your fingers together and he admires how small your hands are wrapped up in his massive ones. 

“What I was going to say was that I know.” 

“What?” 

“I know how you felt because I felt the same. I feel the same.” You squeeze his hands a bit and he looks up at you with soft eyes that only melt your heart. “God the number of times I’ve thought about prom,” you laugh

“Oh god -” he sighs through a chuckle.

“I’m serious. I think about that night all the time. And the promise we made to each other and I part of me has always felt guilty for breaking it because I left. I left you behind and nothing felt right after. The whole time I was away, Shawn I thought about you constantly. And I just - I didn’t have it in me to call like I should or come back for visits like I should because I got scared that maybe it was just...puppy love. But I know that it wasn’t. It’s not. I love you, Shawn.” 

“Really?” 

“Really.” 

“Holy shit.” He smiles, and you can’t help but chuckle at him. You move a little closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder and wrapping your arms around his.“So what, are you my girlfriend now?” He smiles looking down at you admiring the city. 

“Why don’t you take me on a date first, how about that?” 

“Does this count? As our first date?” 

“Sure. If you want it to be.” You smile up at him, and you see his eyes flicker from your eyes to your lips a few times. 

“Can I kiss you?” he whispers too scared to ruin the tender moment. You bite at your bottom lip before nodding profusely. He brings his hand up, cupping your cheek and gently bring his lips to yours. It’s soft and sweet, and everything you’d ever imagined it would be like to kiss Shawn. Your lips move together perfectly like they were made one another. He pulls away after a moment, with two quick pecks, resting his forehead against yours. 

“You’re a good kisser, ya know.” He jokes with a smile. 

“Your not so bad yourself.” 

“Thank you.”

“For what?” 

“Just...Making me happy. I feel like the happiest guy in the world right now.” he confesses, pressing his lips to your forehead. 

“So, what do you think would have happened if I hadn’t have left?” 

“I’d’ve gotten to kissed you a lot sooner.” He smiles and you smile back at him with a dopey lovesick grin, happy to finally have gotten your best friend back. 


End file.
